Shoe shine service sets



F. A. ALSEN SHOE SHINE SERVICE SETS Filed Dec. 16, 1955 INVENTI'OR.

United States PatentO SHOE SHINE SERVICE SETS Fredrick A. Alsen, Chicago, Ill. Application December 16, 1955, Serial No. 553,524 Claims. (Cl. -265) This invention relates to portable shoe shine boxes, which serve as containers for shoe shine needs and have on top of the boxes a foot support.

Shoe shine boxes of this typeintended for self-servicecan be seen in department stores.

But it can also be seen that the foot support is far too low for any self-service for most of those trying to use it.

And it can furthermore be seen that shoe shine needs such as shoe polish, dauber and brushlying at the bottom of such boxesqpractically touch the ground upon which we stand.

In consequence-any person wishing to use shoe polish, dauber and brush has to break his neck and back, sotosay, in an attempt to reach for any of the items he needs.

The object of my invention is to overcome the inconveniences cited- 7 (1) By attaching to the container for shoe shine needs an adjustable foot support that can be placed from a lower to higher position (and back again) for a more convenient use.

(2) By bringing the whole box and its contents from a lower position up to a height where the contents can easily be reached and handled.

The foregoing and such other objects of the invention as will appear hereinafter as the description proceeds, will be more readily understood from a perusal of the following specification, reference being bad to the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 shows one of the opposing end views of my shoe shine set.

Fig. 2 shows the front view of my shoe shine set.

Fig. 3 shows the frontal perspective of my set in closed condition.

Fig. 4 shows the frontal perspective of my set-with the foot support extended for service.

Fig. 5 shows the container for shoe shine needs-which is attached to the slidable end plates of the inner elevat able frame.

Fig. 6 shows .a sequence of operation for one of the resilient latches, wherein the latch plug is shown retracted at the left and subsequently in locking position at the right.

The improved shoe shine service set or box illustrated in the accompanying drawing comprises an outer housing and an elevatable frame therein selectively held in desired vertical positions by readily released latch means.

The housing comprises parallel end walls 3, which are substantially rectangular in shape and braces 5, 6 and 7, which are secured to and connect said end walls 3. Both the end walls and braces may be fabricated of lightweight sheet material, such as sheet metal or any other suitable material, and secured together in any conventional way, as by riveting for example. The vertical side edges of each end wall 3 are bent inwardly to form opposed guide channels 15, the purpose for which will appear herebelow. The lower edges of end walls 3 are bent or curled outwardly as shown at 13 to prevent any scratching of a supporting surface.

The inner frame comprises substantially rectangular end Patented Dec. 4, 1956 ment, mounted therebetween. Also mounted and positioned between the upper portions of end plates 4 is a member 1 which serves the functions of a foot support or rest and a handle to carry the device.

The end plates 4 are slidably mounted on the inner faces of housing end walls 3, the vertical side edges of the end plates 4 being received in and retained by the opposed guide channels 15. p

Rectilinear container 11 comprises hinged cover members 12 which cooperate to close the container when desired. The end plates 4, container 11, and member 1 may likewise be fabricated from lightweight sheet material such as sheet metal, or any other suitable material, and secured by riveting or the like. As seen clearly in Figure 3, the width of the end plates 4 is greater than that of the container 11, the latter not interfering with the slidable engagement of the end plate vertical side edges within channels 15. The resilient latches for holding the inner frame in desired vertical positions each comprises a leaf spring member 8 attached at one of its ends to the outer face of an end wall 3, a preferably tapered plug 2 adjacent the other end of spring 8 extending through an alined opening 14 in said end wall, and a plurality of vertically spaced holes 16 in the associated end plate 4 which are adapted to be selectively alined or registered with opening 14 to receive plug 2 in locking engagement. The novel latch release means comprises a bail member 9 which is pivoted at its ends on the outer faces of end walls 3 and has intermediate such ends an upwardly out-turned portion 10 by which the operator pivots the bail, as by finger or even foot engagement. It will be noted from Figure 6, which illustrates sequential views of one latch, that upon pivoting bail 9 upwardly each leg portion of bail 9 is engageable under the free end of a latch spring 8 to cam or displace such end away from its associated end wall 3 to retract plug 2 from locking engagement in a hole 16 of end plate 4 as shown. The free end of spring member 8 is inwardly indented to facilitate such camming engagement; such is not necessary however since the free end might be outwardly bent to serve the same function.

As seen at the right in Figure 6 the plug 2 snaps back into locking engagement upon pivoting bail 9 downwardly, provided of course that a hole is alined with opening 14. This is no problem since the inner frame may be easily raised or lowered by member 1 until such alinement transpires.

The operation of my improved shoe shine set or box is simple and convenient. Initially the inner frame is latched in retracted position and the device carried by member 1. Upon being placed on the ground or on a floor, the latches are simultaneously released upon raising bail portion 10 and the frame elevated to a desired position upon being lifted by member 1. Then bail portion 10 is depressed to actuate the latches and hold the frame in such desired position. The member 1 now serves as a convenient foot support or rest while the shoes are being polished and the container for shoe shine equipment is readily accessible being also raised. Upon completion of the shoe shine operation, the equipment is replaced in the container and the frame collapsed in a manner similar to its raising.

Although my device has been illustrated in the accompanying drawing and described in detail in the foregoing specification, it is to be understood that. my device may yet undergo various changes for the purpose of facilitating its manufacture without departing from the spirit of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A lightweight portable shoe shine box comprising an upstanding housing having an open top and opposed end walls, a frame mounted within said housing for vertical adjustment, a container having bottom and side walls for shoe shine equipment carried by and movable with said frame, a member mounted on and positioned above said frame to serve as a footrest and a handle, resilient latch means on each of said housing end walls to lock said frame in a desired vertical position, and operator-operated means including a single control to simultaneously release said latch means.

2. A shoe shine box as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said resilient latch means comprises a leaf spring secured at one end to one of said housing end walls, a plug mounted adjacent the other end of said spring and extending inwardly through an end wall opening, a plurality of vertically spaced holes in a portion of said frame adjacent said end wall, said holes being selectively registrable with said opening to receive said plug in locking engagement.

3. A shoe shine box as defined in claim 1 wherein said latch release means comprises a cam member in the form of a bail having its ends pivoted to said end walls, the leg portions of said cam member being engageable under said other end of each spring to cause displacement of said other end away from its associated end wall and thereby retract said plug from locking position, and said cam member having an operator-engageable portion intermediate said legs whereby said cam member can be pivoted to effect such latch release engagement.

4. A lightweight portable shoe shine stand comprising an upstanding housing having an open top and opposed end walls, a frame mounted within said housing for vertical adjustment, a member mounted on and positioned above said frame to serve as a foot-rest and a handle, resilient latch means on each of said housing end walls to lock said frame in a desired vertical position, each of said latch means comprising a leaf spring secured at one end to one of said housing end walls, a plug mounted adjacent the other end of said spring, said plug extending inwardly through an end wall opening, and a plurality of vertically spaced holes in a portion of said frame adjacent said end wall, said holes being selectively registrable with said opening to receive said plug in locking engagement, latch release means comprising a bail member pivoted at its ends on said end walls, the legs of said bail member being engageable under the other end of each leaf spring to cam it away from its associated end wall and thereby retract said plug from locking position, and the intermediate portion of said bail member being operatorengageable whereby said bail member may be pivoted to eifect such latch release engagement for each latch simul taneously.

5. A portable shoe shine box comprising an upstanding open-topped housing having opposed parallel end walls of lightweight sheet material, the vertical side edges of each end wall being inturned throughout a major portion of their lengths to form opposed parallel channels on the inner faces of said end walls, brace means connecting said end walls, a frame mounted within said housing for vertical adjustment comprising end plates of lightweight sheet material slidably mounted on the inner faces of said end walls, the opposed channels of each end wall receiving therein the side edges of the associated end plate, a combined foot rest and handle member mounted on and extending between the upper portions of said end plates, and a container for shoe shine equipment on and between said end plates below said member, said member and container likewise being fashioned from lightweight sheet material, and latch means on each end wall to hold said frame in a desired vertical position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 48,638 Adams July 11, 1865 848,435 Brooks Mar. 26, 1907 978,037 Klausman Dec. 6, 1910 1,079,606 Rooney Nov. 25, 1913 1,486,240 Geiser Mar. 11, 1924 1,919,680 Alsen July 25, 1933 2,710,983 Abrams June 21, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 11,255 Great Britain of 1909 180,565 Great Britain June 1, 1922 

